The Female Walker
by Brildagniriel
Summary: The Fellowhip is joined by a most unlikely person...Xena Warrior Princess!
1. Default Chapter

*The characters are not mine, I just love them.  
  
  
Chapter 1  
  
"The Ring must be destroyed!" Elrond, in his infinite wisdom, declared loudly, making sure the Council listened and hung on to his every word.   
  
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Gimli jumped up, grabbed the axe of the dwarf next to him and headed toward the table bearing the Ring, which sat in the center of the circle of the Council.   
  
Just then, a loud cry echoed through the air. "Yi-yi-yi-yi-yi-yi!"  
  
Gimli stopped in his tracks, and he, along with the rest of the Council, looked around to see who had yelled.   
  
A bundle of leather somersaulted into the circle, landing just two feet away from the Ring. The person stood up, and, sword drawn, glared as she looked around the circle.   
  
The whole Council just sat there and stared at this uninvited newcomer. Elrond recovered first, and jumping to his feet, demanded "Who are you?"  
  
The person turned to face him. "I'm Xena" she declared.   
  
Elrond rolled his eyes. "That's nice. But why are you here?"  
  
Xena curled her lip. "I heard you all were meeting to decide what to do with the Ring. I'm here to take it and destroy it."  
  
Boromir leaped to his feet. "Wait, you can't let her have the Ring! We don't even know her! What if she says she wants to destroy it, but she's going to use it? Or worse, take it to Sauron?"  
  
Elrond turned and looked at Boromir. "Who said we were going to let her have the Ring?"   
  
Boromir glared at Xena. "How do you know about the Ring?"  
  
Xena scowled. "I was at Minas Tirith, and I heard about the Ring, the black riders, and this Council meeting. I have much battle experience and am not easily tempted by evil. I can destroy the ring."  
  
One of the dwarves chipped in. "How do we know that?"  
  
Gandalf stood and spoke in her defense. "I have heard of her skills in battle. She is a capable fighter."  
  
"You need more than battle skills to make it to Mount Doom." Said Elrond.   
  
Boromir shook his head. "You can't just walk into Mordor. There is evil there that does not sleep. It is folly; not with ten thousand men could you do this."  
  
Frodo stood up. "I will take it. I've made it this far, and I can get it to Mount Doom."  
  
Gandalf's eyes closed as an expression of dismay crossed his craggy features. "My dear boy, as long as this burden is yours to bear, I will help you bear it."  
  
Aragorn spoke up. "By my life or death, I will protect you. You have my sword." He went and knelt down in front of Frodo.   
  
Legolas stood up. "And you have my bow." He moved to stand next to the Hobbit.  
  
Gimli joined the group, saying, "And my axe."  
  
  
There was a pause, and then Boromir said, "If this is indeed the will of the Council, then Gondor will see it done."  
  
Xena cleared her throat. "Whether by myself or with a group, I will see that the Ring gets destroyed."  
  
There was a rustling in the nearby bushes, and then Sam burst into the circle. "Mr. Frodo's not going anywhere without me!"  
  
Elrond whirled and face Sam. "No, indeed, it is hardly possible to separate you two, even when he is summoned to a secret Council meeting and you are not."  
  
Just then two more Hobbits rushed in. Merry spoke first. "We're coming too! You'd have to tie us up in a sack to leave us behind!"  
  
Pippin added his two cents. "Besides, you need people of intelligence to go on this mession, quest, thing."  
  
Merry looked at Pippin. "Well, that rules you out, Pip."  
  
Elrond looked at the group, and then said, "Ten companions. You shall be called 'the Fellowship of the Ring'."  
  
  
Well, that's the end of Chapter 1! Let me know what you think! 


	2. A Rough Beginning

Chapter 2: A Rough Beginning  
  
The journey had just begun, and already there was trouble. Xena and Boromir hadn't stopped bickering since they'd left Rivendell. The other eight members of the Fellowship were getting tired of the constant arguments.   
Even elves and dwarves get along better than those two! Aragorn thought to himself. He had been planning to pull them aside and talk to them during the mid-day break, but before he could do that, Boromir had wandered away. When he got back, he'd pulled Merry and Pippin aside for a few lessons with a sword. Aragorn decided to speak to them that evening, and was practicing what he was going to say when he heard yelling. He immediately jumped to his feet and ran towards where Boromir and the two halflings were, figuring that was probably where the trouble was. As he ran, he could hear Boromir and Xena screaming at each other amidst the clashing of swords.   
  
"I told you I should teach them!" Xena shouted at Boromir, swinging her sword at his head.  
  
"You?" Boromir avoided the blow, and then swung back at her.   
  
"Well, it would be a disaster if you did it!" Xena roared.  
  
"I'm a better warrior, and I know more about what we'll be up against! I would do a better job!" Boromir growled, while aiming a blow at Xena. She parried his thrust, then, yelling her signature call, "Yi Yi Yi Yi Yi Yi Yi!" somersaulted over his head, landing behind him. With one hard kick, she knocked him to the ground, and then placed her sword tip against his throat.   
  
"Who's the better warrior now?" she hissed in his ear.   
  
Aragorn ran up at this point, and with the help of Legolas, who had also just arrived, grabbed Xena's sword, and then pulled her off of Boromir.   
When the two had been separated, Aragorn began to scold them. " Boromir, Xena, we don't need this! This journey is risky as it is, and there's a good chance we'll get hurt or die facing the evils of Saruman and Sauron. We don't need the two of you trying to kill each other! You've been at each other's throats for days now, and we're all sick of it. Both of you go cool down, and I'll work with the hobbits."   
  
Looking around, Aragorn noticed the entire Fellowship had gathered. Merry and Pippin looked shocked and a little frightened- Aragorn wasn't sure which had scared them more, the fight, or him- while Frodo and Sam stared at him in astonishment, they'd never seen him like this before. Legolas looked apathetic toward what was happening-petty human fights probably bored him to tears- while Gimli looked annoyed, possibly because he hadn't been able to get into the fight. Gandalf looked weary and worn out, he had circles under his eyes and looked very tired. Aragorn made a mental note to talk with him later, after Boromir and Xena had been taken care of.   
  
Aragorn motioned for Merry and Pippin to go with him, and as he led them away he noted with satisfaction that Xena and Boromir had walked away in separate directions.   
Legolas watched the two fighters, along with the two hobbits and Aragorn, walk away and nearly sighed with relief.   
  
Gimli spoke, "Well, I'm glad they're gone."  
  
Legolas nodded reluctantly, not wanting to vocally agree with the dwarf, even though he shared his opinion.   
  
Gandalf didn't say anything, he just turned and walked slowly back to the rock he'd been perched on. Frodo and Sam exchanged a look, then headed back to the food they'd abandoned minutes before.   
  
No one spoke much after that, and not too much time passed before the ten packed up and continued their journey to Mordor.  
  
That's the end of Chapter 2; let me know what you think! 


End file.
